Panty and parts thereof and method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A panty formed from two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end to a point spaced from the other end and having the corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted with a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each panel having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of the courses terminating in a free end adjacent to one other section to provide fewer courses, so that the sections having fewer courses have a normal length longitudinally less than that of the one section, a seamless band integrally knitted on each end of the tube with one of the bands of each tube being split and sewn together to provide a waist band and the other bands providing leg bands, the seam between the tubes extending into the one section to provide greatest length in the crotch and a minimum length along the outer hip; there also is provided a tube and panty wherein elastomeric yarn is provided to render the bands elastic, and another form wherein elastomeric yarn is knit throughout the tubes thus providing a foundation garment; and another form is provided wherein a reinforced section is knit in the crotch area and alternatively a diamond-shaped piece is sewn in the crotch area; method of knitting the tubes for such a panty and the method of manufacturing such a panty are also disclosed.

nited States Patent [1 1 Sackman PANTY AND PARTS THEREOF AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE [75] Inventor: LesterM.Sackman, Fayetteville,

Ark.

[73] Assignee: Bear Brand Hosiery Co., Chicago,-

[22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 440,788

[52] US. Cl 66/177 [51] Int. C11 A41B 9/02; A4113 9/04; A41B 9/10 [58] Field of Search .E 66/175177, 66/l85-l87, 171

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,980,981 4/1961 Reymes-Cole et al 66/186 X 3,109,301 11/1963 Garrou et al. 66/177 3,310,962 3/1967 Mahler ct al. 66/187 3,425,246 2/1969 Knohl 66/171 3,479,844 11/1969 Silvain 66/176 3,603,116 9/1971 Turini 66/187 3,625,029 12/1971 Safrit ct a1 66/177 3,748,870 7/1973 Fregeollem, 66/177 3,802,229 4/1974 Fregeolle 60/177 3,824,812 7/1974 Matthews et al. 66/177 R27,886 1/1974 Johnson .1 66/177 Primary ExaminerRonald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrangley, Dithmar, Vogel, Sandler & Stotland Sept. 23, 1975 ABSTRACT therein and at least one of the courses terminating in a free end adjacent to one other section to provide fewer courses, so that the sections having fewer courses have a normal length longitudinally less than that of the one section, a seamless band integrally knitted on each end of the tube with one of the bands of each tube being split and sewn together to provide a waist band and the other bands providing leg bands, the seam between the tubes extending into the one section to provide greatest length in the crotch and a minimum length along the outer hip; there also is provided a tube and panty wherein elastomeric yarn is provided to render the bands elastic, and another form wherein elastomeric yarn is knit throughout the tubes thus providing a foundation garment; and another form is provided wherein a reinforced section is knit in the crotch area and alternatively a diamond-shaped piece is sewn in the crotch area; methods of knitting the tubes for such a panty and the method of manufacturing such a panty are also disclosed.

23 Claims, 24 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of8 3,906,754

US atent Sept. 23,1975

Sheet 2 of 8 US Patent Sept. 23,1975

iii/9 Sheet 3 of 8 Sheet 5 of 8 Sept. 23,1975

US Patent US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 6 of8 3,906,754

2148 FRONT US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 8 of 8 3,906,754

PANTY AND PARTS THEREOF AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to panties and tubes from which panties can be manufactured and the method of manufacturing the same, and specifically to the provision of a panty formed by seaming two tubes that are knitted to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch and a minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer hip.

The standard manner of manufacturing panties heretofore is to provide three panels, a front panel, a back panel and an outer panel which were sewn together, after which two elastic leg bands and an elastic waist band are secured thereto. Such a structure provides seams at the hips which are bulky and uncomfortable to the wearer, and also entails a large amount of hand labor to manufacture the same.

US. Pat. No. 2,736,036 discloses a seamless undergarment or panty knitted as a single piece of tubular knitted fabric, but it was necessary to add a strengthening patch 9 thereto and to fold over and sew around the leg openings as at 8 to provide suitable leg bands and a crotch portion.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,884 also shows a seamless undergarment or panty, but it is necessary to have machines with both rotary and reciprocatory knitting capabilities in order to knit the garment. Furthermore, stretch bands 32 and 33 must be separately sewn onto the legs of the blank to complete the panty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a panty and a tube from which the panty is made andthe method of manu facturing the same, wherein the panty comprises two tubes joined together, the tubes being shaped so as to provide maximum length of the panty in the crotch area and minimum length of the panty in the outer hip area.

This is accomplished in the present invention and it is an object of the present invention to provide a panty formed from two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of the panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of the predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of the panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby the other sections having fewer courses therein having a normal length longitudinally of the tube less than that of the one sections having the predetermined number of courses therein, the

seam between the tubes extendingintothe one sections of the panels and into the area of the crotch of the panty and the other sections of the tubes being disposed in the hip areas of the panty;

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of the invention to provide a panty of the type set forth wherein a transition section is disposed between each of the one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in the one section and not present in the other section terminate, each terminating course in the transition section ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof and at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to the lock stitch to relieve pressure on the terminating course.

Another object of the invention is to provide a panty of the type set forth wherein a seamless band is pro vided at each end of the tube, the bands at the one ends of the tubes being slit and sewn together to provide a waist band and the bands at the other ends of the tubes providing leg bands.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a panty of the type set forth wherein there is provided in each tube a reinforcing patch of limited longitudinal and circumferential extent in the one sections adjacent to the other ends of tubes, the seam between the tubes extending into and reversing in the reinforced patches in the area of the crotch of the panty.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a panty of the type set forth wherein a diamond-shaped piece is sewn into the panty in the area of the crotch.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a panty of the type set forth wherein at least certain of the courses throughout the tubes are knitted of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to the tubes throughout the area thereof and to impart the characteristics of a foundation garment to the panty, the elastomeric yarn preferably being inserted in every other course in the one sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide tubes from which can be manufactured panties of the type set forth hereinabove.

A still further object of the invention is to provide methods of manufacture of the panty and the tubes forming the same as set forth herein.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the parts of the panty and the tubes and the method of manufacture thereof, whereby the above outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further features and advantages thereof will best be understood with reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a panty made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the panty being shown in position on a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the panty of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom elevational view of a tube used in making the panty of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of the tube of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the tube of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in section along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the construction of the waist band;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section along the line 77 of FIG. 1 and illustrating one of the leg bands;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view in section along the line 88 of FIG. 5 showing the arrangement of the sev- FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view in section along the line 99 of FIG. 1 illustrating the arrangement of the several sections in the two tubes sewn together to make the panty of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a greatly enlarged view of one portion of a knitted panel forming a part of the panty of FIGS. 1 and 2 and showing the termination of two courses and the longitudinal shortening of the resultant section of the panel;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 and showing the termination of one additional course to further shorten the longitudinal extent of the resultant section of the panel;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIGS. 10 and 11 and showing the termination of yet another course to still further shorten the longitudinal extent of the resultant section of the panel;

FIGS. 13 to 15 are diagrammatic views illustrating the seaming together of two tubes as in FIGS. 3 to 5 to provide the panty of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a second form of panty made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the panty of FIG. 16 having essentially no leg disposed between the body and leg bands;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are views similar to FIG. 8 illustrating the construction of the two tubes utilized in the manufacture of the panty of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a view in horizontal section along the line 19I9 of FIG. 16 similar to FIG. 9 diagrammatically illustrating the construction of the panty of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a third embodiment ofa panty made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, this panty having elastomcric yarn knit throughout to provide a foundation garment;

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of one tube used in manufacturing the panty of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view ofa fourth embodiment ofa panty made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the panty of FIG. 22 incorporating a diamond-shaped piece in the crotch thereof;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the panty of FIG. 22 further illustrating the construction thereof; and

FIG. 24 is a perspective view on the diamond-shaped piece incorporated in the panty of FIG. 22.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 to 15 of the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a parity 100 made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the panty 100 including a main body 101 provided at the upper end with an integral elastic waist band 125 and at the lower end with two integral legs 130 terminating in integral elastic leg bands 135. The panty 100 is formed from two tubes 150 illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the tubes 150 being sewn together along a seam 120 that extends from the waist band 125 down the front of the panty 100 through the crotch portion 145 and back upwardly in the rear to the waist band 125. Each of the tubes 150 is knit as a single continuous seamless tube using a unidirectional rotary knitting method and is continually knit starting from one end thereof and knitting to the other end thereof, as illustrated, the knitting beginning with the leg band 135 and proceeding through the associated leg 130 and through the main body 101 and a waist portion 102 and terminating in the waist band 125, all in a continuous uninterrupted manner. As a result, each area of each tube 150 includes wales extending longitudinally of the tube in courses extending circumferentially of the tube.

The main body 101 of the panty includes the waist portion 102 previously referred to, the waist portion 102 extending completely around the associated tube and being knitted uniformly throughout as a series of 8-fced panels, all as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The waist portion 102 terminates essentially at a juncture 103 and below the juncture 103 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 each panel extending circumferentially around a tube 150 has several different sections providing several different portions of the main body 101, these including the front portion 105, a side or hip portion 110, two intermediate front portions 111 and 112, a rear portion and two intermediate rear portions 121 and 122. As illustrated, the front portion 105 is knit as a plurality of longitudinally aligned sections of panels, each section being knit with full 8 courses in an 8-feed product, there being a juncture 106 provided between the front portion 105 and the adjacent intermediate front portion 111. Each of the legs is formed of a series of panels knit integral with and using the same knitting pattern as the waist portion 102 and the front portion 105 and the rear portion 115, the leg portions being designated 131 and extended downwardly to and terminating in the integral leg bands to be described more fully hereinafter.

The leg portions 131 are separated from the other portions 110, 111, 112, 121 and 122 by ajuncture 107. Likewise the intermediate front portions 111 and 112 are separated by ajuncture 113 and the hip portion 110 is separated from the intermediate front portion 112 by a juncture 114. Likewise, the rear portion 115 is separated from the adjacent intermediate rear portion 121 by a juncture 116, while the intermediate rear portion 121 is separated from the intermediate rear portion 122 by ajuncture 123 and the hip portion 110 is separated from the intermediate rear portion 122 by ajuncture 124.

As has been stated above, the waist portion 102, the front portion 105, the rear portion 115 and the leg portions 131 are knit as full 8 course flat knit product on a 8-feed machine, the fact that these portions contain 8 courses being signified on the drawings by placing the numeral 8 in a circle thereon. The intermediate front portions 111 and intermediate rear portions 121 are all knit with 6 feeds on an S-feed machine so as to provide fabric having a longitudinal or vertical extent as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 less than that of the adjacent front and rear portions 105 and 115, the number of courses in the portions 111 and 121 being designated by the numeral 6 in a circle thereon. The intermediate front portions 112 and the intermediate rear portion 122 are knit with only five courses in each panel thereon on an 8-feed machine, this being indicated by placing the numeral 5 in a circle thereon; as a result, the portions 112 and 122 have a longitudinal or vertical extent less than the adjacent portions 1 11 and 121, respectively. Finally, the hip portions 110 are knit with four courses on an S-feed machine, this fact being indicated by a numeral 4 in a circle thereon. As a result, the hip portions 110 have a longitudinal extent or vertical length less than that of the adjacent intermediate portions 112 and 122.

The different longitudinal extents of the several portions provides a panty 100 with substantially greater vertical extent in the crotch area and in the medial front and back areas and substantially lesser extent in the hip areas, thus to conform better to the body of the user. In this connection itis further pointed out that a reinforcing patch 146 is provided in the crotch portion 145 to anchor the seam 120 in the crotch portion and to provide added material in this area of the panty.-

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings, the construction of a tube 150 is illustrated in detail, it being understood that two of the tubes 150 are slit and sewn together to produce the panty 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2, all as will be explained more fully hereinafter. There have been applied to the tube 150 numerals for the various parts identical to those applied to like parts in the panty 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. There also have been applied to the various portions of the tube 150 in FIGS. 3 to 5 numerals from 4 to 8 in circles to indicate the number of courses in the associated section of the circumferential panels that make up the tube 150.

Referring to FIG. 7, the details of construction of one of the leg bands 135 integral with the associated leg 130 are shown. The associated tube 150 actually is knitted beginning at 132 which is the make-up for the associated tube 150, as illustrated by the arrow labeled START. Integral with the make-up 132 is an inside band portion 136 which is integral with an outside band portion 137, the band portions 136 and 137 being joined at the juncture 138, as will be described more fully hereinafter, to provide the completed leg band 135. As illustrated, 7 of every 8 courses in the leg band 135 are knitted of stretch yarn 140 and the 8th course in every 8 courses is knitted of elastomeric yarn 141 so as to impart an elastic character to the leg band 135, thus improving the fit thereof about the thigh of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, the details of construction of the waist band 125 are shown. Integral with the associated waist portion 102 is an outside band portion 126 that in turn is integral with an inside band portion 127, the band portions 126 and 127 being knit together as at the juncture 128. Also integral with the juncture 128 is a selvage 129 which is the last portion of the tube 150 to be knitted. The waist band 125 has a substantially greater number of panels therein then does the leg band 135. Like the leg band 135, the waist band 125 has 7 of every 8 courses knitted of stretch yarn 140 and the 8th of every 8 courses knitted of elastomeric yarn 141 so as to impart an elastic character'to the waist band 125.

All of the panty 100 is illustrated as being knit of a stretch yarn 140 except those courses in the waist band 125 and leg bands 135 that are knitted of elastomeric yarn. The stretch yarn is made from thermoplastic fiber or fibers, usually in continuous filament form, which is capable of a pronounced degree of elongation and a rapid recovery, the property being obtained by having the yarn subjected to an appropriate combination of deforming, heat setting, and developing treatments, this including crimped yarn, torque yarn and non-torque yarn. Suitable materials for such stretch yarn are nylon, polypropylene and polyester resins. Such yarn may be from 40 denier to 70 denier and may comprise from 10 filaments to 34 filaments, the yarn preferably being of the S and Z twist type. A preferred yarn is 50 denier, 17 filament S and Z twist yarn. Such yarn is tumbled at 180 F. and set in the dye bath at approximately 212 F. An elastomeric yarn is a yarn made from an elastic material such as polyurethane or rubber. The denier of the elastomeric yarn is preferably in the range from 20 to 300, the preferred material being 280 denier. The elastomeric yarn 141 is preferably raw spandex, i.e., uncovered spandex. It will be understood that the elastomeric yarn 141 may be single wrapped or double wrapped with mylon of 20 to 40 denier and containing 7 to 13 filaments. A preferred elastomeric yarn is a 280 denier raw spandex, examples of such yarn being offered under the trademarks Lycra and Glo-Span. Also useful are the nylonpolyurethane combination filaments such as that sold under the trademark Monvel.

The tubes 150 from which the panty is made are knit upon an S-feed rotary knitting machine such as an 8-feed Zodiac Fantasia machine manufactured by the Billi Company of Italy. In one preferred form of such machine, 400 or more knitting needles are provided as well as a dial for make-up. The following is a description of the knitting of a tube 150 for the panty 100 using such an 8-feed machine and wherein the stretch yarn 100 is a 50 denier, 17 filament S and Z twist yarn and the elastomeric spandex yarn 141 is a 280 denier raw or uncovered yarn.

Make-up is begun with every other loop on a dial transfer jack and knitting the stretch yarn 140 at 7 of the 8 feeds and the elastomeric yarn 141 at the 8th feed so as to provide in each panel knit 7 courses of stretch yarn 140 and 1 course of elastomeric yarn 141. Referring to FIG. 7, make-up begins atthe arrow marked START and knitting continues with every other loop on a dial transfer jack downwardly along the inside band portion 136 in the direction of the arrows 139 and then upwardly along the outside band portion 137 to the juncture 138. At the juncture 138, the knitted fabric is transferred off the dial jacks onto the balance of the needles and the elastomeric yarn 141 is withdrawn and replaced by the stretch yarn 140. As a result, the leg band is knitted integrally and turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself at the juncture 138 to provide a double thickness, every 8th course being formed of the elastomeric yarn 141 and the balance of the courses being formed of the stretch yarn 140.

With all the loops now on the knitting needles and with stretch yarn fed to all eight feeds, knitting proceeds along the leg 130 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7, the leg portion 131 being knit entirely as an 8- feed, flat knit fabric, i.e., each panel extending circumferentially around the tube is knitted using all eight feeds with stretch yarn 140 being fed to all eight feeds so that each course extends entirely circumferentially around the leg portion 131. This knitting process eontinues until the juncture 107 is reached, the process as viewed in FIG. 5 having proceeded from the leg band 135 from the right toward the left to the juncture 107.

In accordance with the present invention, the next panel forming the tube 150 is knit with different numtermediate portions 111 and 121 are knit with yarn fed to 6 of the 8 feeds and the front portion 105 and the rear portion 115 are knit with yarn fed to all 8 of the 8 feeds, all as will be explained more fully hereafter. The result is to provide a longitudinal extent of the 8 feed sections, as illustrated by portion 105-115, that is substantially greater than that of the sections knit with fewer feeds, such as the hip portion 110 that is knit with yarn fed to only 4 of the 8 feeds, whereby the hip portion 110 has the shortest longitudinal extent.

It also is pointed out that the reinforcing patch 146 is knit in the area indicated, an additional yarn being introduced into every other feed in a knit-float pattern in the area of the patch 146. It will be understood that the patch 146 may also be plaited as well as knit-float knitted in every other course.

Knitting proceeds along the tube 150 in a manner described above to the juncture 103. At the juncture 103 the knitting machine is adjusted so as to knit with yarn being fed to all eight of the feeds so as to produce a flat knit fabric such as that in the leg portion 131 and the front and rear portion 105-115. After knitting of the waist portion 102, the machine is adjusted to knit the portion of the waist band 125 associated with the tube 150, the details thereof being illustrated in FIG. 6. More specifically, knitting will have proceeded in the direction of the arrow 119 using stretch yarn 140 in each of the eight feeds until the juncture 128 is reached. At that point every other loop is transferred onto a dial transfer jack and elastomeric yarn 141 is fed on to one of the eight feeds. The outside band 126 is knit following the arrow 124 after which the inside band 127 is knit back to the juncture 128. At thejuncture 128, the fabric is transferred off of the dial transfer jacks onto the needles, after which a short selvage 129 is knit. As a result of this knitting action, an integral waist band 125 is produced that is turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself at the juncture 128 to provide a double thickness. The provision of the elastomeric yarn 141 in every 8th course renders the waist band 125 elastic in character to provide a good fit about the waist of the wearer in the finished panty 100.

When knitting of the selvage 129 begins, preferably the feeds are reduced from 8 in number to 4 in number so as to minimize the amount of selvage generated. It is also desirable to insert in one feed a lower melting point yarn which will fuse at the dye bath temperature to prevent raveling of the fabric at the selvage 129.

There is illustrated in FIGS. to 12 details of the structure of one of the panels knit in the tube 150 in the area of the line 8-8 in FIG. 5, and demonstrating the manner in which the longitudinal lengths of the various sections of the panel are changed by withdrawing feeds therefrom. More specifically, there is illustrated portions of a panel 160 which extends completely around the circumference of the tube 150 at the section line 8-8, the panel 160 being knit in one piece around the throat of the knitting machine. In FIG. 10 there is shown that portion of the panel 160 which includes a first section 161 knit with 8 feeds operative and an adjacent transition section 162 and a second section 163 wherein only 6 of the 8 feeds are operative. It will be appreciated that the first section 161 illustrates the fabric present in the front and rear portions 110-115, while the second section 162 illustrates the fabric present in one of the portions designated by the numeral 6 in a circle, such as an intermediate section 111 or 121 (see FIG. 8 also).

In the first section 161, all 8 feeds in the knitting machine have stretch yarn fed thereto, each feed being numerically identified in the left hand portion of FIG. 10 with the several courses knitted at each feed respectively identified as courses 171 to 178 knitted at feeds 1 to 8, respectively. For illustrative purposes, a course 178 from the next adjacent panel to the top is illustrated in the upper portion of FIG. 10 to show the manner in which the two courses 178 and 171 interconnect to form an integrally knitted fabric. In going from the first section 161 to the second section 163, two feeds have been withdrawn, those being feeds 5 and 7 which for illustrative purposes have been illustrated with a dashed line down the center of the yarn thereof so as readily to identify the same. These courses 175 and 177 terminate in the first transition section 162 with the result that in the second section 163 the only courses remaining are those six from feeds 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8.

Each of the courses 171 to 178 is made up ofa plurality of wales 171a to 178a, respectively, the courses 175 and 177 terminating in the transition section 162 having free ends lb and 177b, respectively. In order to prevent unraveling of the fabric, and specifically the free ends 1751) and 1771;, the last wales in these two terminating courses are knitted into a locking stitch 174:! and 176d, respectively, which clamp the free ends 1751? and 177b, respectively, to prevent unraveling thereof. In order to reduce the pressure on the locking stitches 174d and 176d, floated stitches 175C and 1770 are provided immediately adjacent to the locking stitches 174d and 176d, the floated stitches 175C and 177C being provided by taking the corresponding needle out of action. The floated stitches 175C and 177C materially relieve the pressure on the courses 175 and 177 that are terminated in the transition section 162. As illustrated two floated stitches have been provided in each course with an intervening normal knitted stitch between the two floated stitches. It is to be understood that a single floated stitch 175c and 177( immediately adjacent to the locking stitches 174d and 176d, respectively, has been found to be adequate for the purpose.

An inspection of FIG. 10 of the drawings demonstrates that the longitudinal or vertical extent of the panel in the first section 161 with all of the 8 feeds therein is substantially greater than the longitudinal extent of the second section 163 which has only six feeds therein. In other words, the longitudinal extent of the fabric being knit in a panel 160 can be altered at any point along the panel by changing the number of feeds operative, and thus the number of knitting courses present in each section. Although two feeds 175 and 177 have been illustrated as being terminated in the first transition section 162, it is to be understood that only one course might be terminated therein, or alternatively, more than two courses could be terminated, and in fact as many as four courses could be terminated in the first transition section 162 if desired.

FIG. 11 may be considered a continuation of the fabric of FIG. 10 to the right, i.e., the second section 163 to the right in FIG. 10 is the section to the left in FIG. 11, the second section 163 containing six courses knitted at feeds 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8. In FIG. 1 l a second transition section 164 is illustrated wherein the course 173 from feed 3 is terminated to provide a third section having only 5 courses therein. The terminating course 173 has a free end 17311 that is held by a locking stitch 172d, two floated stitches 173cbeing provided to relieve the pressure on the course 173 being terminated. As a result of the termination of the course 173, the longitudinal extent of the third section 165 is less than that of the longitudinal extent of the second section 163, the third section 165 containing five courses knit from feeds 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8. The fabric in the third section 165 demonstrates that illustrated in other figures of the drawing with the numeral in a circle, and specifically illustrates the fabric in the intermediate portions 112 and 122 described above.

The fabric illustrated in FIG. 12 may be considered to be a continuation of the panel 160 from the right hand end of FIG. 11, the third section 165 at the right hand end of FIG. 11 being the left hand end of FIG. 12 and containing five courses knit from feeds 1, 2, 4,6 and 8. In FIG. 12 yet another course 171 is terminated in a third transition section 166 to provide a fourth section 167 having only four knitted courses therein, those knitted courses being courses 172, 174, 176 and 178 knit from feeds 2, 4, 6 and 8, respectively, which courses extend completely around the tube circumferentially thereof. Again the terminating course 171 has been illustrated with the dashed line down the center thereof and includes a free end l7lb held by a locking stitch 178d and provided with its floated stitches 171(- to relieve pressure on the terminating course 171. It will be observed that the fourth section 167 containing only four courses has a longitudinal extent substantially less than that of the third section 165 having five courses therein. 7

Thus from FIGS. to 12, the details of the panel 160 diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 8 can be understood, the relative circumferential extent of each of the several different sections and portions being perceived from FIG. 8, the various junctures 106-166, 133-123 and 114-124 corresponding to the transition sections 162, 164 and 166, respectively. It will be understood that the circumferential extent of each of the sections and portions may be varied as desired, and the order and number of feeds withdrawn and inserted can be changed to achieve the desired longitudinal length of each section of each panel as it is being knitted.

After knitting two of the tubes 150 as illustrated and described above, the panty 100 is made by seaming two of the tubes 150 in the manner illustrated diagrammat ically in FIGS. 9 and 13 to 15 to provide the completed panty illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring first to FIGS. 13 to 15, one preferred method of seaming the tubes 150 to provide the panty 100 has been diagrammatically illustrated. The two tubes 150 are first placed together with the waist bands 125 aligned longitudinally and with the eight feed sections in juxtaposition,

, i.e., with the portions 105-115 of the two tubes 150 in contact and in circumferential alignment. The seam 120 is then begun at the upper edge of the waist bands 125, the same being offset with respect to the-center line of the panels 105-115 so as to provide aIesser circumferential extent in the front portion 105 and a greater circumferential extent in the rear portion 115. The seam 120 proceeds longitudinally downwardly as viewed in FIG. 13 to a point approximately one-third of the distance from the upper edge of the waist bands 125 to the reinforcing patches 146, all as illustrated in FIG. 13. Simultaneously with this seaming operation, the tubes 150 are slit along the seam 120 from the upper edges of the waist bands 125, thereby producing a slit opening between the two tubes and also producing slit edges to the right in FIG. 13 on the two tubes opposite the seam 120. At this point the tube materials again are realigned to place the reinforcing patches 146 together and in correspondence, whereupon the seaming operation is continued to a point in the reinforcing patches 146 illustrated in FIG. 14. Simultaneously with the continuous seaming operation, the slitting operation is also continued to provide the slit opening along the seam 120 and the corresponding slit edges on the tubes 150 to the right of and opposite the seam 120 as viewed in FIG. 14.

At this point the operator folds the panty as illustrated in FIG. 15 and thereafter proceeds to scam the slit edges of the tubes 150 from the reinforcing patches 146 back toward the waist bands 125, the slit edges of the tubes 150 being easily accessible for seaming. When the seaming operation is thus completed, the seam 120 provides a continuous seam from the upper edge of the waist bands 125 longitudinally downwardly to the reinforcing patches 146 and then back up again to the waist bands 125. As a result, the panty in cross section has the general arrangement illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 9. More specifically, narrow front portions of 8 feed flat knit material are pro vided in the front of the panty 100 while wider rear portions are provided in the rear of the panty to accommodate the figure of the wearer.

The seaming operation herein described can be conveniently carried out in a semi-automatic manner using available seaming machines such as the Automatic Crotch Closing Machine sold under the trademark Line Closer, Model LC-240, by the Takatori Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd.

The seam extends from the waist band at the front of the panty downwardly through the reinforcing patches 146 in the crotch portion 145 and then upwardly along the rear of the panty to the rear of the waist band 125. As a result, the fabric in the portions 105 and 115 having the greatest longitudinal extent are provided medially in the front and rear and in alignment with the crotch portion 145. Simultaneously, the hip portions 110 having only four feeds in each panel thereof are disposed along the hips of the wearer to provide fabric having a minimum longitudinal extent, thus further to conform the shape of the panty 100 to the figure of the wearer. The beneficial results in fit obtained from the arrangement of the parts described herein are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 16 to 19 of the drawings, there is illustrated a second embodiment of a panty 200 made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the panty 200 being of the panty brief or bikini style. The panty 200 in many respects is identical to the construction of the panty 100, the

7 major differences being that there are no legs such as the leg of the panty 100 provided therein. Also, the tubes that are sewn together to provide the panty 200 are not identical in construction but rather are mirror images of each other, and there is a different arrangement of the various sections of each of the knitted panels around the circumference of each tube. Otherwise the panty 200 is identical in construction to the panty 100, and accordingly, like parts of the panty 200 that correspond to like parts of the panty 100 have had numerals in the 200 series corresponding to the numerals in the 100 series applied thereto to indicate the identity in construction of the like parts.

The panty 200 includes a main body 201 provided at the upper part with an integral elastic waist band 225 and at the lower end integral elastic leg bands 235. The panty 200 is formed from two tubes 205A and 2058 illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 respectively, the tubes 205A and 2058 being sewn together along a seam 220 that extends from the waist band 225 down the front of the panty 200 through the crotch portion 245 and back upwardly in the rear to the waist band 225. Each of the tubes 205A and 2058 is knit as a single continuous seamless tube using a unidirectional rotary knitting method and is continually knit starting from one end thereof and knitting to the other end thereof, as illustrated, the knitting beginning with the leg band 235 and proceeding through the main body 201 and a waist portion 202 and terminating in the waist band 225, all in a continuous uninterrupted manner.

The main body 201 of the panty 200 includes the waist portion 202 extending completely around the associated tube and being knitted uniformly throughout of S-feed panels, as explained above with respect to the waist portion 102. The waist portion 202 terminates at a juncture 203, and below the juncture 203 each panel extending continuously around a tube 250A or 2508 has several different sections providing several different portions of the main body 201, these including the front portion 205, side or hip portions 210, an intermediate front portion 212, a rear portion 215 and three intermediate rear portions 217, 221 and 222. As illustrated, the front portions 205 are knit as a plurality of longitudinally aligned sections of panels, each section being knit with only 7 courses in the fabric as contrasted with the 8 courses in the fabric of the front portion 105 of FIGS. 1 and 2, there being ajuncture 213 provided between the front portion 205 and the intermediate front portion 212. The main body 201 terminates in a bottom portion 231 which carries an integral leg band 235 which is identical in construction to the leg band 135 described above.

In the panty 200, the front sections 205 have been knit with only 7 courses per panel, thereby to give a shorter longitudinal length in the front finished panty than in the rear thereof, the rear portions 215 being knitted of 8 courses in each panel. Furthermore, the intermediate portions 212 adjacent to the front portions 205 are knitted with only 5 courses per panel, thereby to give a materially shorter longitudinal extent than the corresponding rear portion 215, see FIGS. 16 and 19. In the hip portions 210 only 4 courses per panel are knitted and intermediate panels 222, 221 and 217 containing courses 5, 6 and 7 respectively, are disposed to the rear of the hip portions 210. This arrangement of the different panels is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 19, and as can be seen by reference to FIG. 16 provides a panty which better fits the user. Furthermore, the panty 200 illustrates the wide variety of arrangement of different length sections in each panel that can be utilized in accordance with the present invention. The panty 200 further illustrates that different configurations of tubes 250A and 250B may have to be provided in order to impart to the finished panty 200 the desired shape and structure.

The knitting of the tubes 250A and 2508 forming the panty 200 is performed in substantially the same manner as the knitting of the tubes 150 from which are formed the panty 100, except that no legs 130 are knit ted, and a different arrangement of the portions and sections around the tubes has been utilized. The types of stitches and the yarns used in the panty 200 may be, for example, the same as those used in like parts in the panty described above.

Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21 of the drawings, there is illustrated a third embodiment of a panty 300 made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention. The panty 300 is identical in construction to the panty 100, except that certain courses are knitted of stretch yarn 340 and certain courses of elastomeric yarn 341 throughout the body of the panty 300. Accordingly, like parts of the panty 300 that correspond to like parts in the panty 100 have had numerals in the 300 series corresponding to the numerals in the 100 series applied thereto to indicate the identity in construction of the like parts. The panty 300 includes a main body 301 provided at the upper end with an integral elastic waist band 325 and at the lower end with two integral legs 330 terminating in integral elastomeric leg bands 335. The panty 300 is formed from two tubes 350, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 21, the two tubes 350 being sewn together along a seam 320 that extends from the waist band 325 down the front of the panty 300 through the crotch portion 345 and back upwardly in the rear to the waist band 325. Each of the tubes 350 is knit as a single continuous seamless tube using a unidirectional rotary knitting method and is continually knit starting from one end thereof and knitted to the other end thereof, as illustrated, which knitting beginning with the leg band 335 and proceeding through the associated leg 330 and through the main body 301 and a waist portion 302 and terminating in the waist band 325, all in a continuous uninterrupted manner.

The main body 301 of the panty 300 includes the waist portion 302, that extends completely around the associated tube 305 and is knit uniformly throughout as a series of S-feed panels, alternate courses in the waist portion 350 being knit of elastomeric yarn 341. The waist portion 302 terminates essentially at a juncture 303 and below the juncture 303, as illustrated in FIG. 20, each panel extending circumferentially around a tube 350 has several different sections providing several different portions of the main body 301, these including the front portions 305, a side or hip portion 310, two intermediate front portions 311 and 312, a rear portion 315 and two intermediate rear portions 321 and 322. As illustrated, the front portion 305 is knit as a plurality of longitudinally aligned sections of panels, each section being knit with eight courses therein, alternate courses being knitted of stretch yarn 340 and the other courses being knit of elastomeric yarn 341, there being a juncture 306 provided between the front portions 305 and the adjacent intermediate front portion 311. Each of the legs 330 is formed of a series of panels knit integral with and using the same knitting pattern as the waist portion 302 and the front portions 305 and the rear portion 315, i.e., alternate courses are knit of stretch yarn 340 and the other courses are knit of elastomeric yarn 341, the leg portions being designated 331 and extending downwardly to and terminating in the integral leg bands 335.

The intermediate front portions 311 and the intermediate rear portions 321 are all made with six feeds on an 8-feed machine so as to provide fabric having a longitudinal or vertical extent as illustrated in FIG. 20 less than that of the adjacent front and rear portions 305 and 315, the number of courses in the portions 311 and 321 being designated by the numeral 6 in a circle thereon. Of the six courses in the portions 311 and 321, four are knit of the elastomeric yarn 341 and the other two are knit of the stretch yarn 340. The intermediate front portions 312 and the intermediate rear portions 322 are knit with only five courses in each panel thereof on an S-feed machine, this being indicated by placing the numeral 5 in acircle thereon; as a result, the portions 312 and 322 have a longitudinal or vertical extent less than the adjacent portions 311 and 321, respectively. Of the five courses in the portions 312 and 322, four are knit of the elastomeric yarn 341 and the fifth course is knitted of the stretch yarn 340. Finally, the hip portions 310 are knit with four courses on an 8-feed machine, this fact being indicated by a numeral 4 in a circle thereon. As a result, the hip portions 310 have a longitudinal extent or vertical length less than that of the adjacent intermediate portions 312 and 322. All four courses in the hip portions 310 are knit of the elastomeric yarn 341.

ln knitting the waist band 325 and the leg band 335, stretch yarn is knitted in every other course and elastomeric yarn is knitted in the other courses, whereby of the eight courses in a panel, four courses are knit of stretch yarn 340 and the other four courses are knit of elastomeric yarn. Of the four courses knit of elastomeric yarn, three are knit of the elastomeric yarn 341 used in the body portion 301, while the fourth course of elastomeric yarn is knit of the 280 denier raw spandex illustrated above with respect to elastomeric yarn 141 in the panty 100.

In the panty 300, the stretch yarn 340 utilized is a 5 denier, 17 filament, S and Z twist yarn, and the elastomeric yarn 341 is a 70 denier single wrapped with 30 denier, l filament, nylon. The elastomeric yarn 341 may be single wrapped or double wrapped with nylon of 20 to 40 denier and containing 7 to 13 filaments.

The different longitudinal extents of the several portions provides a panty 300 with substantially greater vertical extent in the crotch area and in the medial front and back areas and substantially lesser extent in the hip areas, thus to conform better to the body of the user. The details of construction of the tube 350 from which the panty 300 is formed are best illustrated in FIG. 21, it being understood that two of the tubes 350 are slit and sewn together to produce the panty 300, all in the manner described above with respect to the panty 100.

The knitting of the tubes 350 is performed in substantially the same manner as the knitting of the tubes 150 described above. A significant point is that each of the courses generated from feeds 2, 4, 6 and 8 that extend completely around the circumference of the tube 350 are preferably knit of the elastomeric yarn 341, whereas the terminating courses knit from feeds 1, 3, and 7 are preferably knit of the stretch yarn 340. As a result, the circumferentially extending courses of elastomeric yarn provide a garment that is stretchable throughout and elastic in character throughout, thus providing a foundation garment.

Yet a fourth form of panty 400 made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 22 to 24 of the drawings. The panty 400 is identical in construction to the panty 100,

except that a diamond-shaped piece 480 has been inserted in the crotch area thereof to provide more fullness in that area of the panty. Accordingly, like parts of the panty 400 that correspond to like parts in the panty have had numerals in the 400 series corresponding to the numerals in the 100 series applied thereto to indicate the identity in construction of like parts.

The fundamental difference between the panty 400 and the panty 100 described heretofore resides in the seaming between the tubes forming the panty, and the insertion of the diamond-shaped piece 480 therein. Accordingly, a different reference numeral has been applied to the scam, the front portion of the seam having had the numeral 4900 applied thereto, and the rear portion of the seam having had the numeral 490b applied thereto. In seaming the panty 400, seaming is begun in the front and the seam 4900 is formed and the material of the tube adjacent to the seam is slit to provide a free edge. When a predetermined point near the crotch area is reached, the diamond-shaped piece 480 is inserted and a seam is run along one portion 481a of one edge thereof to the corner juncture with the other portion 481!) thereof while simultaneously slitting the associated tube adjacent to the seam 491a resulting. Then the second portion 481b of the first side of the piece 480 is seamed to a portion of the slit edge of the associated tube to provide a seam 4911). Then the first portion 482a of the other edge of the piece 480 is seamed to the other tube along the seam 492a and the tube simultaneously slit adjacent to the seam 492a. Thereafter the remaining portion 482!) of the other edge is seamed to a portion of the slit edge of the associated tube along the seam 4921). Thereafter the remaining portions of the slit edges are seamed together in the rear to provide the seam 49017 extending from the diamond-shaped piece 480 upwardly to the waist band 425. In all other respects, the panty 400 is like the panty 100 and is manufactured in the same manner.

In describing the embodiments of the present invention, the invention has been described as using an 8- feed machine in knitting the several tubes from which the panties are formed. It has been foundthat other multifeed machines can be successfully utilized to produce fabric in accordance with the present invention; for example, 4-feed machines, 6-feed machines and 12- feed machines have been found to be useful. In general, any multi-feed machine having at least four independent feeds would be useful in the present invention.

While there has been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circum ferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a nor mal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.

2. The panty set forth in claim 1, wherein a second floated stitch is provided in each terminating course and spaced from the first floated stitch by a normal stitch.

3. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, the endmost ones of said panels adjacent to the ends of each of said tubes each having a predetermined number of courses therein, one section of each of the panels intermediate said endmost panels having a predetermined number of courses therein equal to the number of courses in said endmost panels and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number of courses in said endmost panels, whereby said other sections in said intermediate panels having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections of said intermediate panels having the predetermined number of courses therein, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes and then extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.

4. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a seamless band at each end of said tube integrally knitted thereon and turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a doublc thickness at each of said bands, the scam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer hip of the panty, the bands at said one end of said tubes being slit and sewn together to provide a waist band and the bands at the other ends of said tubes providing leg bands.

5. The panty set forth in claim 4, wherein said bands are knitted with at least certain of the courses therein of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said bands.

6. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, the endmost ones of said panels adjacent to the ends of each of said tubes each having a predetermined number of courses therein, one section of each of the panels intermediate said endmost panels having a predetermined number of courses therein equal to the number of courses in said endmost panels and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number of courses in said endmost panels, whereby said other sections in said intermediate panels having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections of said intermediate panels having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a seamless band at each end of said tube integrally knitted thereon and turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a double thickness at each of said bands, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes and then extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty, the bands at said one end of said tubes being slit and sewn together to provide a waist band and the bands at the other ends of said tubes providing leg bands.

7. A panty comprising two knitted tubes knit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections having the predetermined number of courses therein, a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, and a reinforced patch of limited longitudinal and circumferential extent in said one sections adjacent to the other ends of said tubes, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into and reversing in said reinforced patches in the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.

8. The panty set forth in claim 7, wherein said reinforced patches consist of additional yarn knitted into the areas of said patches in a knit-float pattern.

9. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and a diamondshaped piece, the corresponding edges of said tubes and said diamond-shaped piece being seamed together, each tube being seamless undirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending to the area of the crotch of said panty where said diamond-shaped piece is positioned, the other sections of said tubes having a shorter longitudinal length being disposed in the hip areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the hip of the panty.

10. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, at least certain of said courses throughout said tubes being knitted of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said tubes throughout the area thereof, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.

11. The panty set forth in claim 10, wherein every other course in the one sections throughout said tubes is knitted of elastomeric yarn.

12. The panty set forth in claim 10, wherein the courses in said tubes knitted of elastomeric yarn extend circumferentially entirely around each panel.

13. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses thereing than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number od courses therein, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said predetermined point to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty,

14. The method set forth in claim 13, wherein each of said panels is knitted to provide a plurality of sections therein each having a different number of courses and each having a correspondingly different normal length longitudinally of said tube.

15. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotaty knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting integrally a first band and a medial body and thereafter knitting a second hand integral with said body, said first and second bands being knit of panels with a predetermined number of courses therein extending around said tube and said body being knit of panels each having one section with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, placing corresponding ones of said first bands together and corresponding sections of the panel in each tube together, longitudinally seaming said tubes through said first bands and into and along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from said second bands to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said predetermined point toward and through said first bands to produce a panty.

16. The method set forth in claim 15, wherein said bands are knitted with at least certain of the courses therein of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said bands.

17. The method set forth in claim 15, wherein each of said bands is turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a double thickness at each of said bands.

18. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two onepiecc seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, knitting a reinforcing patch of limited longitudinal and circumferential extent in said one section adjacent to the other end of said tube, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in alignment and said reinforcing patches in juxtaposition, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point in said reinforcing patches spaced from the other end of said tubes to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said reinforcing patches to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.

19. The method set forth in claim 18, wherein said reinforcing patch is knitted with additional yarn therein in a knit-float pattern.

20. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of providing a diamond-shaped piece, knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, seaming one of the tubes from the predetermined point to a first edge of said diamond-shaped piece and simultaneously slitting said one tube along the resultant scam to provide a slit edge, longitudinally seaming said other tube from the predetermined point to the second edge of said diamond-shaped piece and simultaneously slitting said other tube along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge, and seaming the resultant slit edges on said tubes from said diamond-shaped piece to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.

21. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two onepiecc seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, said tubes having at least certain of the knitted courses throughout the same knit of an elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said tubes throughout the areas thereof, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges of said tubes from said predetermined point to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.

22. The method set forth in claim 21, wherein alternate courses in said tubes are knitted of elastomcric yarn.

23. The panty set forth in claim 1, wherein each panel in each tube includes a plurality of sections each having a different number of courses therein and each having a correspondingly different normal length longitudinally of the associated tube, the seam between said tubes extending into the sections of said panels having the greatest normal length longitudinally of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the sections of said tube having the shortest length longitudinally thereof being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty. 

1. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predeteRmined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.
 2. The panty set forth in claim 1, wherein a second floated stitch is provided in each terminating course and spaced from the first floated stitch by a normal stitch.
 3. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, the endmost ones of said panels adjacent to the ends of each of said tubes each having a predetermined number of courses therein, one section of each of the panels intermediate said endmost panels having a predetermined number of courses therein equal to the number of courses in said endmost panels and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number of courses in said endmost panels, whereby said other sections in said intermediate panels having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections of said intermediate panels having the predetermined number of courses therein, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes and then extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.
 4. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a seamless band at each end of said tube integrally knitted thereon and turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a double thickness at each of said bands, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximuM length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer hip of the panty, the bands at said one end of said tubes being slit and sewn together to provide a waist band and the bands at the other ends of said tubes providing leg bands.
 5. The panty set forth in claim 4, wherein said bands are knitted with at least certain of the courses therein of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said bands.
 6. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, the endmost ones of said panels adjacent to the ends of each of said tubes each having a predetermined number of courses therein, one section of each of the panels intermediate said endmost panels having a predetermined number of courses therein equal to the number of courses in said endmost panels and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number of courses in said endmost panels, whereby said other sections in said intermediate panels having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections of said intermediate panels having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a seamless band at each end of said tube integrally knitted thereon and turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a double thickness at each of said bands, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes and then extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of the intermediate panels of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty, the bands at said one end of said tubes being slit and sewn together to provide a waist band and the bands at the other ends of said tubes providing leg bands.
 7. A panty comprising two knitted tubes knit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one sections having the predetermined number of courses therein, a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, and a reinforced patch of limited longitudinal and circumferential extent in said one sections adjacent to the other ends of said tubes, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into and reversing in said reinforced patches in the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.
 8. The panty set forth in claim 7, wherein said reinforced patches consist of additional yarn knitted into the areas of said patches in a knit-float pattern.
 9. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and a diamond-shaped piece, the corresponding edges of said tubes and said diamond-shaped piece being seamed together, each tube being seamless undirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending to the area of the crotch of said panty where said diamond-shaped piece is positioned, the other sections of said tubes having a shorter longitudinal length being disposed in the hip areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the hip of the panty.
 10. A panty comprising two knitted tubes slit longitudinally from one end thereof to a point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof and having corresponding edges seamed together, each tube being seamless unidirectional rotary knitted and including a plurality of integrally knitted panels extending circumferentially therearound, one section of each of said panels having a predetermined number of courses therein and at least one of said predetermined courses terminating in a free end adjacent to at least one other section of each of said panels to provide fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby said other sections having fewer courses therein have a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than that of said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, and a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate, each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, at least certain of said courses throughout said tubes being knitted of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said tubes throughout the area thereof, the seam between said tubes extending into said one sections of the panels of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the other sections of said tubes being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty, thereby to provide maximum length of the panty in the area of the crotch of the panty and minimum length of the panty in the area of the outer thighs of the panty.
 11. The panty set forth in claim 10, wherein every other course in the one sections throughout said tubes is knitted of elastomeric yarn.
 12. The panty set forth in claim 10, wherein the courses in said tubes knitted of elastomeric yarn extend circumferentially entirely around each panel.
 13. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses thereing than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number od courses therein, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said predetermined point to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.
 14. The method set forth in claim 13, wherein each of said panels is knitted to provide a plurality of sections therein each having a different number of courses and each having a correspondingly different normal length longitudinally of said tube.
 15. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotaty knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting integrally a first band and a medial body and thereafter knitting a second band integral with said body, said first and second bands being knit of panels with a predetermined number of courses therein extending around said tube and said body being knit of panels each having one section with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, placing corresponding ones of said first bands together and corresponding sections of the panel in each tube together, longitudinally seaming said tubes through said first bands and into and along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined Point adjacent to but spaced from said second bands to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said predetermined point toward and through said first bands to produce a panty.
 16. The method set forth in claim 15, wherein said bands are knitted with at least certain of the courses therein of elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said bands.
 17. The method set forth in claim 15, wherein each of said bands is turned upon itself and integrally joined with itself to provide a double thickness at each of said bands.
 18. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, knitting a reinforcing patch of limited longitudinal and circumferential extent in said one section adjacent to the other end of said tube, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in alignment and said reinforcing patches in juxtaposition, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point in said reinforcing patches spaced from the other end of said tubes to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges on said tubes from said reinforcing patches to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.
 19. The method set forth in claim 18, wherein said reinforcing patch is knitted with additional yarn therein in a knit-float pattern.
 20. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of providing a diamond-shaped piece, knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sectioNs and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, seaming one of the tubes from the predetermined point to a first edge of said diamond-shaped piece and simultaneously slitting said one tube along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge, longitudinally seaming said other tube from the predetermined point to the second edge of said diamond-shaped piece and simultaneously slitting said other tube along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge, and seaming the resultant slit edges on said tubes from said diamond-shaped piece to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.
 21. The method of manufacturing a panty comprising the steps of knitting two one-piece seamless tubes on a circular knitting machine by continuous unidirectional rotary knitting from one end of the tube to the other, said knitting of each of said tubes being accomplished by knitting a plurality of integrally joined panels extending circumferentially around said tube from one end of said tube to the other, said knitting providing in each of said panels wales extending longitudinally of said tube in courses extending circumferentially of said tube, knitting one section of each of said panels with a predetermined number of courses therein and terminating at least one of said predetermined courses and knitting adjacent thereto at least one other section in each of said panels with fewer courses therein than the predetermined number, said knitting providing a transition section disposed between each of said one sections and the adjacent other section wherein the courses present in said one sections and not present in said other sections terminate with each terminating course in said transition sections ending in a locking stitch to prevent unraveling thereof with at least one floated stitch immediately adjacent to said locking stitch to relieve pressure on said terminating course, whereby to provide the other section having fewer courses therein with a normal length longitudinally of said tube less than said one section having the predetermined number of courses therein, said tubes having at least certain of the knitted courses throughout the same knit of an elastomeric yarn so as to impart an elastic character to said tubes throughout the areas thereof, placing corresponding ends of said tubes together with corresponding sections of said panels in a predetermined arrangement, longitudinally seaming said tubes from the one end thereof along the juxtaposed sections thereof to a predetermined point adjacent to but spaced from the other end thereof to provide a seam joining said tubes and simultaneously slitting said tubes along the resultant seam to provide a slit edge on each of said tubes, and seaming the slit edges of said tubes from said predetermined point to the said one ends of said tubes to produce a panty.
 22. The method set forth in claim 21, wherein alternate courses in said tubes are knitted of elastomeric yarn.
 23. The panty set forth in claim 1, wherein each panel in each tube includes a plurality of sections each having a different numbEr of courses therein and each having a correspondingly different normal length longitudinally of the associated tube, the seam between said tubes extending into the sections of said panels having the greatest normal length longitudinally of said tubes and extending into the area of the crotch of said panty and the sections of said tube having the shortest length longitudinally thereof being disposed in the outer thigh areas of said panty. 